Black Beauty (58) - diary of a horse

Not quite sure what to make of Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell, which I read in print. It's written from the point of view of the horse - Black Beauty - starting when he is a foal and having an idyllic life with his mother. When he is sold to a gentleman, all goes well - he is superbly looked after and works hard for his master and mistress, and makes friends in the stable with a flighty horse called Ginger, and a solid pony called Merryweather. However, nothing lasts for ever and he is moved on, and on and on. He encounters cruelty at times and goodness at others amongst the humans he encounters and the book is certainly a rally cry to improve the lot of the working horse - particularly highlighting how the fashion for certain ways of treating horses could be cruel and could ruin them. Beauty eventually becomes a cab horse in London. He has a great master, but experiences horrific things around him - including a sad end for his old friend Ginger. When his gentle master becomes ill, things take a turn for the worse and he is very nearly sent to the knackers yard. However, a farmer takes a chance on him and nurses him back to health and finds a great final home for Beauty. This is a heart-warming story, but is a bit disjointed for my liking. I can see why youngsters would really enjoy this book, but it's a bit too simplistic for me. If it did anything to improve how horses were regarded and treated in the 1870s (when this book was written), then I applaud it mightily.

My STAR rating: THREE

Length: 263 print pages.
Price I paid: free (borrowed from local library)
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; abridged audio CD; ebook.

Jane Eyre (10) - reader, we loved it!

Hurrah, I cannot hide my joy at having read this delight of a book. It's Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, which I read as an audio book with the glorious Juliet Stephenson narrating! What an absolute pleasure it has been to have this book worm its way into my mind through the dulcet tones of this great actress. Our heroine is a strong willed, plain girl who becomes orphaned at an early age and is taken in by her unwilling aunt. The outcome is not good, and she gets shipped to a girls school which is at first harsh, but after a scandal involving the deaths of many of the girls, improves and Jane finds peace there. When it comes time to leave, she applies for a job as a governess in a large house in the country. Jane settles in and eventually meets her employer - Mr Rochester - a strange, unhappy and unattractive man. Over time, they talk and spar and despite her best efforts to resist, Jane develops an affection for this man. However, he is destined to marry a beautiful society lady and Jane concentrates on teaching her young student. But why is it that whenever he gets into trouble (which is quite often), it is Jane he always turns to? And what is at the centre of his sadness and ill temper? Jane is stunned, but overjoyed when he suddenly asks her to marry him. However, disaster strikes on their wedding day ... and she runs away and starts a new life. Will she ever find happiness? You can't help root for Jane who is one of the strongest female characters I think I have ever found in a book. The interplay between her and Mr Rochester sparkles and the book is full of life and twists and turns. It's a joy to read from start to finish and if you can get hold of this particular audio edition you will not be disappointed. Wish I was starting it again!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 404 print pages.
Price I paid: £3.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; abridged audio CD; multimedia CD; ebook.

The Great Gatsby (43) - man of mystery

The Great Gatsby, by F Scott Fitzgerald is a little gem. Short, but packed to the gunnels with character and incident, it is narrated by Nick Carraway who has just moved to West Egg, right next door to one Mr Jay Gatsby. Wherever Nick goes, he hears stories about the enigmatic Gatsby ... an Oxford man, he once killed a man, dubious business man ... and on it goes. Eventually, he is invited to one of Gatsby's legendary Saturday night parties - everyone who is anyone goes to the parties, and all talk about Gatsby, but no-one actually seems to really know him. Nick suddenly finds that he is talking to the man himself, and so begins a relationship that is destined for tragedy. It turns out that Gatsby doesn't really have a friend and he adopts Nick as an instant confidante and pal. Slowly, Nick gets to hear about the real Gatsby, and is not exactly comfortable with what he finds out. Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy Buchanan, and is convinced that she loves him back and will ditch her constantly cheating husband, Tom. The action speeds up and it all comes to a head with deadly consequences. This is a great read, full of insights into American "high society" of the 1920's. I really enjoyed it and can recommend it without hesitation. 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 148 print pages.
Price I paid: free (from local library)
Formats available: print; audio CD abridged; audio download unabridged; ebook.

The Catcher in the Rye (15) ... did I miss something?

So, JD Salinger's book, The Catcher in the Rye, is a book that is talked about on a regular basis. It's one that I kept thinking I should read to see what all the fuss is about and make sure I wasn't missing out on anything. Well, maybe it's just me - but I just don't get what people see in this book. Yes, it's different to anything else I've read - almost like a free form diary of a disgruntled 16 year old boy(Holden Caulfield). He hates and loves at the flick of a switch - fickle in some ways, but deeply loyal in others (to his sister Phoebe). It's written with all the slang of the fifties and the language can be a little fruity. It feels like the unedited thoughts of Holden as he spends a couple of days trying to decide what to do after he is expelled from yet another school. Too afraid to go home to feel the wrath of his father, he wanders around New York encountering people he takes an instant dislike to, or who he thinks he might have a connection with - but that tends to fade quickly. Generally an unhappy, angst-ridden rant against the world he finds himself in and doesn't understand - it's hard to feel any sympathy with Holden who seems to have brought all his woes on his own head. This book irritated me, and I cannot fathom why it seems to have influenced so many people. Maybe I'm too old - and if I'd read it as a teenager with all those hormones running through my veins then perhaps I would feel differently - but I don't think so. A book elevated beyond its content - don't bother reading if you haven't done so.

My STAR rating: TWO.

Length: 192 print pages.
Price I paid: free (borrowed from my local library)
Formats available: print; audio; ebook.

Great Expectations (17) is a great start to the year

First book to be completed this year is Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, which I read on my Kindle. Almost everyone will have an idea of what this book is about, which starts with a young boy (Pip) coming across a convict (Magwitch) on the marshes and stealing food from his sister to give to the convict, as well as a file to free himself from his leg-irons. Magwitch is recaptured in dramatic style, and Pip's life changes with the invitation to go to Miss Havisham's grand house - where he meets Estella, a girl destined to break his heart. As he gets older, he receives word that he is to come into money - the Great Expectations of the title. His head is turned and he wants to become a gentleman to impress the increasingly beautiful and unattainable Estella. When he discovers the true identity of his benefactor, his life begins to crumble. Pip is a hard character to like - I just wanted to slap him at times ... not happy with his lot and jumping at the chance to leave behind the people who care for him to try to impress people that don't! Will there be redemption? This is Dickens at his best - great characters, great plot and definitely NOT an ending that ties up all the loose ends. Good start to 2013!

My STAR rating: FOUR

Length: 512 print pages.
Price I paid: free.
Formats available: Print, unabridged audio download, abridged audio CD, ebook.

The scores on the doors!

I have now looked closer at the challenge I have set myself ... and am a little scared! Of the 100 books on the list, I've definitely read 29. I think I might have read a couple more, but couldn't guarantee it, so I'm keeping them on the "to do" side of the balance sheet. On a more positive note, of the top 25 books on the list, I've read 14, so not too bad on that score.

The books I've already read are ...

1. The Lord of the Rings (fabulous epic).
2. Pride and Prejudice (ahh!)
3. His Dark Materials (so much better than Harry Potter)
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (laugh out loud, resistance is useless)
8. Nineteen Eighty Four (read this at school, but thought it was one of the best books I've read)
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (read in my teens)
11. Catch 22 (not my cup of tea)
12. Wuthering Heights (I hated all the characters and couldn't wait for them to die!)
13. Birdsong (my favourite book - if you haven't read this, YOU MUST DO SO NOW!)
14. Rebecca (went through a massive Daphne du Maurier phase in my youth - cracking story)
18. Little Women (good in parts)
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin (very enjoyable, but I couldn't get the image of Nicholas Cage out of my head!)
22. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (good story, but I found the writing a bit sub-standard, so didn't pursue the rest of the series ... until now it seems!)
25. The Hobbit (Golem, hairy feet, magic ... what's not to like)
35. Charlie and the Chocolate factory (memories of childhood bedtime reading)
37. A Town Like Alice (loved this book, and other Nevile Shute books which I raced through in my twenties)
46. Animal Farm (another MUST READ)
47. A Christmas Carol (a classic, familiar story, but good to read for yourself rather that just rely on the TV or film adaptations)
52. Of Mice and Men (heartbreaking)
59. Artemis Fowl (Funny and clever and definitely not just for kids)
63. A Tale of Two Cities (I discovered a depth to the story that doesn't come across in TV adaptations)
65. Mort (I love Terry Pratchett and this is a cracker)
70. Lord of the Flies (shocking)
71. Perfume (odd, but satisfying)
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (Awesome, heavy, heart-breaking, but totally believable)
75. Bridget Jones's Diary (daft and funny)
79. Bleak House (deep, detailed and gripping)
84. Gormenghast (Fabulous fantasy with brilliant characters)
93. The Colour of Magic (the first of the Discworld novels, and it's a doozy)

I do NOT expect to have read all of the remaining 71 books by the end of this year ... I do have a day job and other things to do except read after all ... but I'll be disappointed if I don't reach 70 by 31st December 2013. I'm a good way through Great Expectations (17), and have just started Jane Eyre (10) too, so am on my way ...

New year, and a new challenge ...

In this, my third year of blogging about books, I have decided to challenge myself to reading as many of the novels voted as being in the Top 100 Books during the BBC's Big Read debate back in 2003. Hundreds of thousands of people nominated the books that meant the most to them. This was a vote by the people, for the people, rather than a list created by a bunch of well-meaning literatis out to improve the minds of the common people. So, ten years on, I thought it would be interesting to revisit the list and see how many I'd already read and what gaps I should look to fill.
So, what's on the list ... you might want to join me and see what you can do during this year too to get as many of these read as you can!

Here is the full list:

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie

As I look through it, I've already read a few of these ... but a good few of thos I wouldn't mind reading again, which is a good sign. Onwards, onwards, into the valley of books ...